Cry of the Raven
by Azalea Rose Turner
Summary: He used to think love was a sham. But now he's never wanted anyone as much as her. Theodore Hartwin is average in looks, brains, and just about everything - but when he falls in love with the most extraordinary and also off-limits demigod, mayhem ensues through a maze of love, lies, and betrayals.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except for Theo.**

 **I don't expect you to read this, but:**

 **Hi, I'm Krisalyn. Thirteen years old, living in California. Hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

A seventeen year old boy sipped his drink and scribbled a few more words to his essay when a huge thump resonated from outside the coffee shop.

A few customers turned to look, but most disregarded this, much too engrossed in their own doings.

But it happened again. This time most turned, annoyed, to find out the source. _Probably some drunk teenager_ , most concluded.

Distant screams, getting closer and closer, and the whole population of the coffee shop clambered over to the smudged window.

And then —

 _Boom_. Something smashed into the roof, and the shop crumbled to the ground.

It was mayhem, disarray. People stampeded out the door, screaming, yelling. The boy scrambled out in a panic, about to run home when he saw —

 _A girl_?

Cool and calm, she stood. Her soft blonde curls were pulled up in a messy updo, some spilling over her temples to frame her small, heart-shaped face.

Her face was otherworldly and surreal — delicate features, a small nose, the bridge sprinkled lightly with freckles. Plump pink lips. Large, curiously grey eyes framed with thick dark lashes, and finely chiseled cheekbones that blushed a faint rose color.

She was the most beautiful girl Theodore had ever laid eyes upon.

Even if her stormy eyes had a fiery, angry look beyond what he thought was possible. Even if there was a dried scrape running from her temple to her jaw. Even if her she was just wearing an orange tee and black cargo shorts — both of which were tattered and ripped. Even if she looked slightly dangerous, with black combat boots and a silver-black jacket.

And even if she was glaring at him so intensely he thought he would implode.

"Uh… hi?" Theo said, uncertain.

"Well?" The girl demanded.

Theo allowed himself to stare for a few more seconds, then intelligently replied, "Um."

"You're one, aren't you?" the girl asked furiously.

The girl was starting to scare him — her eyes blazed, and he noticed things that he hadn't noticed before, like a belt that shifted in and out of focus, and a freaking _knife_ for god's sake — who even carries a knife?!

Oh no. He was hallucinating again, just like he did every day. These hallucinations never seemed to end well, though, it always ended up with him getting injured, or nearly dead.

He had to get away from her.

Theo stumbled away, holding up his hands to fend off the vision girl. No wonder she was so beautiful — she wasn't even real. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt dimly disappointed.

She narrowed her eyes at him, and Theo took that as the cue to run.

He ran as fast as he could. He didn't mean to be arrogant, but he was the best in the track team at school. He could run pretty fast.

Yet the girl easily caught up to him and grabbed his arm. Theo tried to wrench it away, but her grip was strong. He opened his mouth to scream when a hand clamped down over his mouth.

Suddenly all he could think about was how good her she smelled, like strawberries. Or lemons. Was he seriously being kidnapped by this model of a girl?

 _Oops, ADHD_ , Theo realized, and came back to the matter at hand. He struggled.

"Gods, will you stop it?" the girl said, and he realized she didn't sound malicious or angry or anything, she sounded exasperated. "I'm trying to save your life here."

He jerked his arm away from her and flung her hand off his mouth. She didn't object. "Save my life?" Theo laughed, trying to ignore the rapid beating of his heart. "You're kidding, right? You seriously expect me to believe that?"

The girl sighed. He wondered how she looked so pretty when she was annoyed — her small nose scrunched up in irritation, and her lips pulled to one side. "Look, okay, I really don't expect you to believe that, but we really have limited time right now!"

Theo blinked. "I — what?"

For the first time since he had noticed the girl, he looked around and saw the ruckus around them. Buildings were being torn apart, people screamed. A savage roar rang in the smoggy air.

Through all the fog he could make out an indistinct shape over ten feet tall. Horns. Lumbering arms. The works.

The noise seemed to multiply tenfold when he noticed it. "What is that?!" he cried over the noise.

The girl shook her head. "No time!" She yelled, starting to jog. Theo kept pace with her, measuring his steps with hers. She was really fast, he thought. "I'll explain it to you, just come with me!"

Theo stopped in his tracks. "What?"

The girl turned, her nostrils flaring. "What the Hades is it now?!"

Somewhere in his subconsciousness he pondered the way she had said 'Hades'. But he cast that thought aside and shouted, "I just can't leave! My school, my home, my _dad_!"

The girl's hard expression softened a fraction. "I'm sorry Theodore… you'll see them again. But you have to come with me —"

He wondered briefly how she knew his name, but it all didn't matter when his world was crumbling around his ears. "I need to say goodbye!"

Now the girl's face was open, gentle, and she said, "Theo. Please."

She ran.

Theo considered.

He ran after her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except for Theodore Hartwin**

* * *

He was extremely unsettled.

Theo recounted the day's events in his head as they ran like their lives depended on it. Which they did.

 _First, noises and screams,_ Theo ticked off on his fingers. _A giant bull man is chasing me,_ Theo thought, slightly amused at this predicament. _Then a random girl with a sword, telling me to run away with her and leave everything behind._

There was a deafening roar behind them, and Theo knew the bull man was coming for them. The girl screamed, "Get back!"

She threw Theo behind her as the huge monster approached them, roaring. He caught a sour, putrid stench like spoiled milk.

"Whatever you do," the girl breathed. "Stay behind me. And don't move."

Theo thought that was rather contrary, but all he said was, "I can help, too!"

"Yeah," the girl snorted quietly as the bull man advanced. "I'm so sure you can fight the Minotaur without any training -"

"The Minotaur?! What the actual heck —"

"— I mean, the only person who can do that is Percy," she continued in a clipped tone.

Theo felt an irrational, fleeting stab of jealousy. "Who's Percy —"

Something huge came flying at them.

"Dive!" the girl yelled, shoving Theo left. "Theodore, just go hide in the bush until I give you the signal —" She was cut off, as the Minotaur (like the one from Greek Mythology), ambled into the clearing.

He spotted her, roaring, and Theo flinched with fear.

The girl, astonishingly, gave no indication of alarm. "Hey, Ground Beef!" she taunted as if she had done this many times before. "Tell me, how do you like Tartarus? Because I'm arranging you a one-way trip down to hell!"

She drew her sword — it looked like ivory, honestly (Theo did a double-take, but at this point he was just completely done), and charged.

The Minotaur bellowed in pain as she drove her weapon into his flesh and swiped at her. She skirted away, slashing and slicing until she was just a blur. The Minotaur growled in frustration, swatting at her.

The girl nimbly dodged, doing a backflip and landing into a crouching position. Then charged again, kicking off of his leg and onto his arm, right up to his shoulder. She raised her sword over her head, ready to strike his exposed neck.

The Minotaur snarled and flung her into the bushes.

Theo's breath came in quick, short pants as he watched the girl's features contort in agony. A trickle of blood was making its way from the corner of her mouth to her chin, and she had a multitude of tiny cuts all over her face. But most concerning was the deep gash oozing free flowing blood in her leg - as well as the odd way her ankle was bent.

She tried to get back up, but screamed in anguish, her leg couldn't take the weight and the girl fell back down, still screaming. Her eyes were screwed up tightly and she seemed to be taking deep breaths to quell the pain.

The Minotaur lumbered over to her and picked her up by the neck. The girl yelled, struggling weakly, but she was in obvious pain.

Theo watched with wide eyes. There was no way she was actually going to _die_ , right?!

The bull-man squeezed, and the girl's face was turning purple as the monster crushed her windpipe.

Theo couldn't stand it anymore, the feeling of helplessness in his chest was threatening to explode. So he defied the only rule the girl had given him and hurtled into the clearing.

"Hey!" Theo shouted, waving his bright blue windbreaker. "Hey, Bull Man! Eat this!"

He picked up a rock off of the ground and chucked it at the Minotaur's eye.

It hit the mark.

The Minotaur roared in agony and dropped the girl headfirst into the prickly bushes, where she lay limp as a rag doll. Theo winced, praying that she was alright.

But now the Minotaur was glaring at him, one eye sewn shut from the rapid swelling. And the bull man was charging, arms spread wide to catch him.

"Oh crap," Theo muttered. He hadn't thought of what would happen.

He had no idea what to do.

He grabbed another rock and backed up slowly. "Nice cow… nice cow…" he said nervously, trying to wipe sweat off his brow discreetly.

Theo stumbled over the girl's arm as he backed away, and in desperation he grabbed her sword and brandished it at the Minotaur.

"Get away!" Theo cried. "I've got amazing powers and… stuff."

The bull man snorted dubiously, so he probably wasn't convinced. Theo didn't blame him.

The Minotaur walked slowly towards Theo, as if he had all the time in the world. Which he probably had, seeing as Theo was utterly helpless against the monster.

Theo knew he was going to die.

He shut his eyes, waiting for the blow, thinking ruefully of all his past mistakes. Then of his dad. Of his friends. Of the mom he never had.

 _Bye, Dad_ , Theo sent bade him a silent farewell. _Bye, Ashton_. His best friend. _Bye_ —

Then he heard a strange whooshing sound, like everything around him was being sucked in a massive pit.

Something flashed, and even through Theo's sewn-shut eyelids he could see the bright, aggressive light flash in front of his face.

"Agh!" Theo exclaimed, shielding his face. He peeled his eyelids open apprehensively.

Theo could almost make out a murky, indistinct form of a woman, but he wasn't sure — it was hard to see through the fog, and for some reason, right now the fog looked more like… _mist_. White mist clinging to his clothes, his arms, his face —

Then the blurry figure moved, and Theo's attention snapped back to it.

 _Not yet, Theodore Hartwin_ , a wispy voice breathed.

Theo jumped approximately five feet. "Wha - what?"

 _Not yet. Your time has not come…_

The words hung ominously in the air, and Theo stood stock-still. He felt the strange, not-quite-malicious presence disappear, and then the mist cleared.

The Minotaur was gone.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**There really isn't that much to say, except that I'll try to update every day. Not that it matters, because... I mean who would read this?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters besides Theodore Hartwin.**

* * *

Theo stood there like a statue for a few moments before stepping out of his reverie. He dashed over the the girl, whose golden ringlets were splayed across the dirt.

Her face was smudged with grime and soot and blood. He didn't care. She was still much too beautiful.

Theo crouched by her side, careful not to jostle her ankle. Then he tentatively took her slim shoulders in his hands and shook them.

"Um, hello?" Theo prodded softly. "Please wake up, I need your help."

No sign of movement. Theo brought his hands, shaking, to her exposed neck and fumbled for a pulse. It pounded strongly against his fingertips.

He sighed, looking around while saying, "Listen, I don't even know your name, and I'm not sure how the hell you know mine, but —"

"Theodore Hartwin, isn't it?"

He let out a rather undignified yelp, his nerves still tingling. "Um, sorry — did you say that —"

The girl's eyes were still closed, obscuring her intelligent grey eyes, but her lips curved into a smile. "Yes. Now, can you help me up?"

She blinked up at him, and her eyes were startling, like quicksilver. He cleared his throat nervously. "Okay, but — your leg."

The girl glanced at her leg and frowned. "Right," she said, wincing violently as she sat up. "Bring me your bag."

Theo slipped is long-forgotten backpack off his shoulder and handed it to her. "What are you going to use it for?"

She ignored him, rummaging through his pack. From it, she plucked his scarf and his two thin plastic rectangles, which he used for an experiment.

"Okay," the girl said, cringing in pain once more as she spread her supplies on the dirt in front of her. Then she got to work.

Theo watched as she wrapped her jacket around her swelling ankle and took a sharp breath. He watched as she expertly placed the glass panels around it and set her ankle, yelping rather severely as she did. He watched as she used his scarf to tie it all together, a thin film of tears glossing over her eyes, grey-clouded in distress.

The girl wrenched a plastic baggie from her back pocket, filled with what looked like little lemon squares.

Was she seriously going to eat _lemon squares_?

She broke off a tiny piece and popped it in her mouth, chewing. Her breathing eased slightly and her stormy eyes cleared. She ate another section, and another, until there was only a bit of the lemon square left.

The girl glared at the baggie, a curl falling over her temple. "I'll burn up if I eat anymore," she muttered and stuffed the bag back into her pocket.

Theo stared, amazed. "What _was_ that?"

The girl gazed at him, her jaw set and all trace of anguish gone. Her eyes were colder and harsher than a winter's blizzard as she appraised him. Theo felt self-conscious, as if being put under a microscope and studied.

"Ambrosia," she said levelly. "Food of the gods."

That sentence took about five seconds to compute.

"Excuse me?" Theo blinked at her rapidly, hoping she hadn't hit her head or anything. "Sorry, but —"

"Food of the gods," the girl repeated evenly. "That monster you saw there? The Minotaur. You know Greek Mythology?"

"I — I don't —"

"Theo, the Greek gods are real."

And with that one line she sent his precariously balancing world over the edge.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Theo said, making the time-out sign. His mind was reeling. "There's no way — what?"

The girl's face was stony, guarded, as if she expected Theo to laugh at her and point her to a mental asylum. "It's true," she confirmed. "All those weird things you saw? Greek monsters, trying to come after you. The world is not what anyone else sees it as, Theo."

"Um." Theo tried to find a hole in her logic. "Why would monsters come after me? Why do I see the world this way and not them? What makes me so different?"

The girl tilted her head at him. And then, with no change in her expression, she said, "You're a child of the gods. One of your parents is a god or goddess — _you're a demigod_."

He stared at her.

Okay, so maybe he could accept that ambrosia had magical healing properties or whatever. And maybe he could accept that the gods were real. But that he was a child of one?

"ADHD or dyslexia, I'm assuming?" the girl asked steadily. "One parent? Kicked out of most schools?"

Theo laughed. "How — how —"

His laugh sounded slightly hysterical even to his own ears, and the girl could probably sense the edge in it, because her countenance softened the mildest degree.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Theo," the girl said in response to his most likely extremely dazed expression. "I'll explain it more on the way."

Theo bit his lip. "The way to _where_?"

"I'll explain."

"Will I see my dad again?"

She glanced at him. "Most likely." The girl scrutinized him, sizing him up. "You know, you're taking this a lot better than I expected you to."

"Oh, you know," he said casually, attempting to joke when in reality his insides were writing with questions. "All in a day's work."

The faintest smile played across her lips.

Now the girl stood, letting out a cry of pain as she did.

Theo had forgotten about her ankle. "Here," he said, standing as well, and offering her his arm. "You can use me as a crutch."

The girl eyed him warily.

He gazed back, challenging.

Her face broke out into a smile, and Theo couldn't help but notice how much _prettier_ she looked when she stopped looking annoyed or angry and just smiled.

She held out her hand.

"I'm Annabeth," the girl offered.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! I'm back (which probably isn't a good thing), but school's over and I'm really sad (yeah I'm a freak that way, but hey my best friend is a grade above me and he's going to high school).**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except for Theodore Hartwin**

* * *

Annabeth leaned on him as they traveled to god-knows-where — sorry, _gods_ -know-where. He still couldn't get used to this concept.

"So…" Theo ventured cautiously. He didn't want to irritate Annabeth, as her breathing was already laboured and her grey eyes clouded. "So, um, where are we going again?"

She didn't answer right away, instead stared straight ahead. "Camp Half-Blood."

Theo immediately felt guarded. _That_ didn't sound so good. "Camp Half-Blood? What's that supposed to entail?"

Annabeth (gods, her name was _so_ pretty) didn't smile. "Half-blood, meaning you're a demigod. You know, half mortal, half god."

"Oh, um," Theo stuttered, still trying to wrap his mind around the idea. "So, it's for people like us? What do you do there? There couldn't be many, right?"

Annabeth laughed lightly, still seeming stressed. "You wouldn't believe how many of us there are," she said, and it sounded surprisingly bitter.

"You sound angry," he observed.

"Of course I do — a demigod's life is filled with danger. Unless you choose to live in New Rome, a closed-off community for people like us, most don't live past twenty. It's a hard life, Theo, and we aren't given a choice. All because the gods just _couldn't_ handle themselves." Annabeth's hands fisted at her sides, and Theo could feel her tension through her side, pressed up against his as it was.

"Oh," was all Theo could think of to say. They trudged in silence for a few moments before he blurted, "But — the gods are your parents, wouldn't they help you out? Against the monsters and stuff?"

He regretted his question immediately, as Annabeth laughed humourlessly again. "They've been alive for millennia, with children that come and go. All-powerful beings that never die — you really think they give a _damn_?"

Again, Theo was scared into silence.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said, her voice softer - gone was the hard edge that had crept into her tone. "I'm scaring you."

"No," Theo lied half-heartedly. "Just — you're saying Mom was a _goddess_?"

Annabeth's lips tugged up at the corners. "Still is, Theo."

"Which one?"

Theo was eager. All his life, he had wanted a mom — he looked around at school, where children were picked up by mothers who kissed their kids on the head and asked how their day went, all while their children rolled their eyes and wriggled out of the suffocating hug. Well, Theo would give anything to be hugged like _that_. His dad was great, of course… but he just wasn't a mom.

But, according to Annabeth, it didn't mean much anyway, if his mom was a goddess.

"I don't know," Annabeth said, yanking Theo away from his ponderings. "You'll most likely get claimed tonight or maybe tomorrow, it's hard to say."

"Claiming?" Theo asked. "What's that mean?"

Annabeth's hair glinted like cornsilk in the sinking sun, making Theo want to reach out and touch it. "Claiming is when your godly parent sends a sign that lets us know who your parent is. That way you can hone your genetic powers, if you have any, because you're placed in a cabin with all your half siblings."

"What happens if you… don't get claimed?"

Annabeth frowned. "Well, after the Titan War —"

"Wait, what? The —"

"Will you let me finish?" Annabeth asked, sounding amused. Theo fell silent. "Thank you. Anyway, the gods basically made an agreement that they would claim all their kids. Of course, sometimes it just takes a little longer, because they've got a lot on their minds, being eternal and in many places at once, you know?"

"So… what happens then?" Theo prompted.

"You get placed in Cabin Eleven — the Hermes Cabin, you know, god of thieves, messengers, and travelers — anyone who passes through. _I_ got claimed right away," Annabeth added, and despite all her reservations about the gods, he could detect a certain note of pride in her voice. "Cabin Six, Daughter of Athena — goddess of crafts, wisdom, and war."

Theo grinned, her unmistakable happiness, fleeting as it was, was infectious. "That's really cool, Annabeth. When did you come to the camp?"

She smiled, looking a lot more relaxed. "When I was seven." Her voice was suddenly coated in wistfulness as she said, "It's my home."

Then she frowned and said, "You're seventeen, aren't you?"

Theo nodded, wondering what _that_ had to do with anything.

"Well, the pact the gods made with Percy said that they had to claim their children before thirteen, because it was to dangerous for them in the mortal world after that. I wonder how you survived?"

Theo didn't answer. There was that Percy guy again. He felt the need to bring it up, but the way Annabeth spoke his name with a soft caress scared him a little bit.

Obviously, he needed to man up. "Annabeth, who's —"

"Oh look," Annabeth interrupted him lightly, seemingly having not heard him. "The pegasi are finally here."

She stopped, and Theo looked around, noticing his surroundings with total concentration — Annabeth was too distracting for her own good — and realised he was in a forest. A small creek burbled at his feet.

A shadow passed overhead, and Theo followed Annabeth's expectant gaze, looking up, up, and saw a dark shape like a huge crow begin to descend.

No — _not_ a huge crow. It's wings were more ruffled, and stronger, too — more like a feathery dragon's wing. And it had four legs — and a snout — and long gleaming hairs that swished and —

 _Oh._

Theo felt the pit of excitement in his stomach expand, the glorious feeling of anticipation like dry ice running through his veins.

It was a _pegasus_. Beautiful and black and —

The pegasus touched down lightly on the clumpy dirt, whinnying. He — Theo was pretty sure it was a he — was even more beautiful up close, and more intimidating as well. His coat glistened as if freshly brushed, mane gleaming as the horse tossed his head and cantered toward them.

He snorted and turned its head to them, his intelligent dark eyes glinting as if saying, _Well? Hurry up, then, I don't have all day!_

Unsure, Theo glanced over at Annabeth and was surprised to see a naked grin on her face, open _at last._

She ran forward, throwing her arms around the horse's powerful neck, and then let go just as quickly, clambering on to his back.

Annabeth looked over at Theo, still wearing that wide, vulnerable beam. "Come on!"

Theo realised a dopey grin was covering his face — because of how gorgeous Annabeth looked right then, sitting atop a horse, looking all glorious and regal and shining and just _so beautiful._

She stretched out a hand to Theo, inviting. Her eyes seemed to say a million things at once, but ultimately, he knew what she was asking for.

She was asking for his _trust_.

Heart pounding, Theo stepped forward and gave it.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **(Oh and also, if you could leave a review that would be nice. And I really don't care if you tell me my work is horrible... honestly i agree lol)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey people. Another story to quench my boredom. Leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except for Theodore Hartwin.**

* * *

He sat behind her during the ride, arms wrapped around Annabeth's waist so as not to fall off. And it took all of his being not to bury his face into her curls which, despite the day's events, still smelled like lemons and a fresh summer's breeze.

It was _awesome_.

When Theo finally _did_ manage to tear his gaze away from her body, the view was amazing as well. They were high up — Theo had never been afraid of heights, and he could reach up with one hand and run his hands through the clouds. It was loud too, after all, they were flying fast and the whooshing noise of the wind rushing past wasn't helping.

"Enjoying the ride, Theo?" Annabeth said, and even though he couldn't see her face, Theo could hear the suppressed smile in her voice.

In response, Theo whooped. It was just so _exhilarating_ , to be up here, with the wind tousling his hair clothes and making his face feel as if it were about to peel off.

Annabeth laughed, and Theo thought that she might be experiencing the same kind of feeling of freedom. "You haven't even encountered the better of it yet!" she laughed, and a sort of giddiness colored her tone.

Annabeth leaned forward, setting her palms flat on the pegasus's neck, and yelled, "Blackjack, you go and have some fun!"

Since Annabeth had said 'Blackjack' and that wasn't his name, Theo assumed it was the horse's. He was proved to be right when the pegasus snorted, as if saying, _I can do fun._

Annabeth twisted around in the saddle, and suddenly their faces were much too close together. Theo became very still.

Annabeth seemed unaware, but her beautiful grey eyes were bright and wild with excitement, and a twin pair of pink spots had appeared high on her cheekbones. "Hold on, Theo," she instructed him, and not seconds after she said that Blackjack made a sharp dive.

A strangled gasp wrestled its way out of Theo's lips, and Annabeth laughed at his reaction. Blackjack veered left, right, skimming over the water of the lake they were over, doing one-eighties and flips and somersaults like they were nothing —

Annabeth laughed loudly, like she was intoxicated, and then patted Blackjack's side. "All right, that's enough showing off," she shouted loud enough for the both of them to hear, and Theo could _swear_ he could hear Blackjack trying to grumble something about… _donuts_? Theo was going delirious.

But the pegasus eased into a graceful loping pace, moving his hooves along the surface of the water. Theo wondered why Blackjack ran while they flew.

Annabeth turned, her pupils blown wide from elation. "How was that?"

Theo grinned. " _Amazing_."

She laughed and faced away from him, and Theo couldn't remember when he liked someone this much.

"I've still one more thing in store," Annabeth promised. "I don't know if you'll like it or not."

Theo smiled broadly. "Surprise me," he said, and he wondered when he had gotten so bold as to almost _flirt_ with her.

He sensed Annabeth smiling, and she said, "Blackjack, _jump_."

Theo thought, _Huh, that's not so bad_ , when the world went black.

He felt like his stomach was crawling up his throat. He felt like his ears were going to fly off. He felt like they were going against a natural current, only about six hundred times faster.

Then the world came into focus again, and Theo blinked. The fuzziness at the edges of his vision disappeared, and suddenly they were on a hill standing near a huge pine tree, overlooking a valley, that had —

Annabeth climbed off Blackjack, and the movement snapped his gaze on to her. "So… was that fun?"

Theo stared at her, still dazed.

And then he pitched sideways off the saddle.

His legs crumpled to the ground (gods, how embarrassing), but Annabeth caught his arms and hauled him to his feet.

"I probably shouldn't have done that," she said worriedly, mostly to herself, while studying his probably extremely vague expression. "I think I should have waited."

Theo stared past her shoulder, his eyes bugging out, before he burst out — " _That was amazing_!" and cut off Annabeth's concerned mutters.

Annabeth eyed him apprehensively. "You sure you're okay? I —"

" _Oh my gods_!" Theo nearly screeched. " _That was AWESOME_!"

Grinning stupidly, Theo stumbled dizzily out of Annabeth's grip.

"I'm okay, I'm okay…" he panted. "Gods, Annabeth… that was some seriously cool stuff."

She smiled, if not a little nervously, but Theo was past that already… because he looked down the hill.

It made him forget completely about the ride.

The valley was big, surrounded by lush forests like he didn't even see on television. There was a huge climbing wall, which for some reason was separating and smashing back together at random times, and also had _lava_ pouring down it and pooling at the base. There was a pavilion, filled with benches and tables and braziers at every corner. A lake, canoes parked on the beach. Strawberry fields, perfectly ripe, lining the edge of the forests. About twenty cabins arranged in a ring… a large house… an arena… hammering noises coming from a building… a dirty low shed…

And everywhere… there were people. People in orange shirts, a few in purple. They all had a weapon attached to them, and some wore armor. Some were climbing, some were sparring (with real, actual _swords_ , mind you), some were running about barking orders, some were at the volleyball and basketball courts — the archery range — the strawberry fields — everywhere.

And some weren't even _people_.

Theo saw a bunch of guys with shaggy legs and horns and _hooves_ (it was really weird), he caught some girl melting out of the side of a tree and skipping around (okay, Theo was going into shock), and he had a _huge_ fright when he looked not too far away and saw a large _dragon_ curled up at the base of the pine tree (at this point he was going to have a coronary).

Annabeth, who Theo had nearly forgot was beside him (hard thing to do), placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Theo," she said, "welcome to Camp Half-Blood."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**To SenatorSteve: Thanks, your review was the first I'd gotten that wasn't from someone I know, and I was _super_ hyped. I don't know, but there was something really exhilarating about having someone read your writing who could possibly on the other end of the world. Wow. **

**I had to research some stuff for it (not that I did much), and my links aren't showing up for some reason**

 _wiki/Magical_Metals_ **this is as close as I can get, and my other one,** _mikeanderson/gladius-most-important-weapon-of_ **isn't working well... idk I felt I had to cite.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except for Theodore Hartwin.**

* * *

His neck hurt from swiveling to look at everything.

Seriously, this place was amazing. Annabeth gave him a tour of the place, and he was in even more awe than he was at the top of the hill, and that was saying a lot, considering the level of astonishment he was in not too long ago.

Then Annabeth was leading him to the covered, droopy little shed, saying something about how he'd most likely be claimed at the campfire that night, and Theo nodded along with a blissful smile on his face, staring at her.

They reached the little shack. "Okay," Annabeth announced rather dramatically, "now I think you should choose your weapon."

Theo stared at her for a bit, and somewhere in his muddled mind he dredged up the memory of the sword, which was swaddled tightly in blankets and slung across her back. "Oh… um… yeah. You mean… like the ivory one you have?"

Annabeth smiled, but Theo could sense an edge to it, like it was forced, slightly. "Yes," she answered. "It's not ivory. It's drakon-bone, which you'll learn about in monster fighting class soon enough. My sword was given to be from… a friend."

It was obvious the matter was closed, so Theo dropped it. "Alright. Let's go weapon shopping," he joked, rubbing his hands together.

The openness Annabeth had begun to display was starting to dissolve. Her face crumbled back into a smooth, untouched mask, but still she managed a smile at his lame attempt at a joke. "Quick lesson," she began. "Okay, so there are seven known magical metals. Meaning they hurt monsters. The two most common to demigods are Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold." Annabeth took a deep breath and then continued, "Celestial Bronze is mined from Mount Olympus, forged by Cyclops, tempered in Mount Etna, and cooled in the river Lethe. It's a long, arduous process, but in the end it looks like this."

Annabeth swept away the tarp with a flourish, and hundreds of weapons glittered and glowed. Then she picked up a dagger, all shiny and polished. A faint aura pulsed around it, and the tip was razor sharp. Theo stepped back nervously.

"Celestial Bronze doesn't hurt mortals," she assured him, "but it hurts demigods and gods. It considers mortals unimportant to hurt."

Annabeth gingerly returned the dagger to its sheath and back to the shed, then grasped a sword-thing. The blade was long, thin, and eye-catchingly _gold_. Like, the gold glittered a little _too_ much, maybe twenty-five karat gold, if that had been a thing.

"This is called a gladius," Annabeth said, snapping Theo out of his rather undignified staring. "The pommel is usually a sphere, like this," she said, tapping the circular wood shape at the bottom of the sword. "The guard is more like a semicircle." Annabeth drummed her fingers against the shape right below the blade.

"Um," Theo managed, though he was still gazing avidly at the sword. "Uh — w-why is it g-gold?" he stuttered.

Annabeth smiled a little tightly, like this was the last place she wanted to be. Maybe it was. Theo felt himself deflate a little, despite this wonderful, awesome place standing next to this wonderful, awesome girl.

"Imperial Gold," Annabeth answered. "Consecrated in the Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill, and then forged at the Temple of Jupiter at Camp Jupiter, which is like Camp Half-Blood. But Roman, I guess. More on it later."

"Wait," Theo interrupted. "Jupiter is Zeus, right?"

"In a manner of speaking," Annabeth muttered. "Anyway, Imperial Gold is rarer than Celestial Bronze, but _extremely_ powerful. Some people believe that it's more potent against the _anemoi thuellai_ , the storm spirits, because of how the metal is blessed by Jupiter."

Theo shuffled his feet a little.

Annabeth noticed his impatience, and then promised, "I won't be much longer. I'll just skim through the rest.

"Stygian Iron is rarer than both Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold. Instead of vaporizing monsters and sending them to Tartarus, it actually _absorbs_ the essence, making it almost impossible for the monsters to reform. We don't have any here, because only people associated with the Underworld can wield it.

"Silver isn't usually considered a magical metal, but it is the only metal that works against the _lycanthropes_ — werewolves.

"Next is Bone Steel. We don't know much about it, because it's used mostly by the Norse gods and their children —"

"Wait, what?" Theo cut in. "How can… there… be…" he faltered at the disapproving glare Annabeth was giving him, his voice dying away slowly.

"Other gods, other myths, blah, blah, blah. You'll learn more about it later. Maybe."

Theo frowned.

"So," she continued, "Meteoric Iron. Used by Egyptian gods and their kids. Again, not much known." Annabeth took a deep breath. "And there's Adamantine. Super strong metal, harder than diamonds. Usually the weapons of Adamantine are also forged with Imperial Gold," she finished. "Finally."

Theo replied with something really witty, like, "Oh."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Weapon shopping time."

Annabeth picked up a dagger — Celestial Bronze — and handed it to him. It felt wrong.

"No," she mused, rummaging in the shed. "How about this?" She passed him a shotgun.

Even though Theo was holding it, he leaned away from the shotgun. "Um —"

"Mossberg 500." Annabeth checked the pump action. "Try it out."

Grimacing, Theo aimed his arm at the target a little ways off. He pulled the trigger, unsure, as he had never held a _gun_ before. The recoil sent him flying into the dust on his butt.

Theo picked himself off the ground, blushing like mad. Annabeth wordlessly took the shotgun from him and handed him a bow and arrows.

"Um," Theo appealed, staring at the bow. "I don't know how to shoot this either —"

"Just hold it," Annabeth instructed. He did, for fear of his life, and was surprised to see that his hand molded itself perfectly around the handle.

"It works," Annabeth admitted. "That's good. Now take it and go over to the Big House. Percy can show you there," she said, pointing at a guy who was approaching them, an easy grin across his face.

He looked kind of like a troublemaker, with that lopsided smirk, the tousled hair, the sparkling sea-green eyes. He was handsome, no doubt. But Theo was wary… he had a bad feeling about this.

"Annabeth!" the guy hollered, causing a lot of amused looks directed his way. He jogged toward them. "Hey!"

Theo expected Annabeth to roll her eyes and walk away, but instead when he glanced over at her, her face was bright, her eyes shining, and her expression more brilliant than he had ever seen it. Even on the pegasus ride…

 _This_ was a kind of raw, untouched joy he didn't think was capable of anyone, least of all _Annabeth_ , guarded, careful Annabeth.

The guy, whom Theo was already starting to mildly dislike, slid his arms around Annabeth, and Theo's animosity spiked dangerously.

"Theo," Annabeth said contentedly, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil behind his mask, only apparent in his eyes, "this is Percy. My boyfriend."

All he felt was the field of red roaring past his ears.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long** — **I had a writer's block, and then I went on vacation for three weeks. Anyway, thanks for still actually reading this story, no matter how bad it is. And this one, especially, is bad, because I was mostly forcing myself to write** — **you know, the writer's block and all that. So thanks for sticking to this story, and I'd like to acknowledge some of the people who reviewed.**

 **SenatorSteve: Thanks for reviewing again! You actually kept me going, because you wrote how this story was getting interesting** — **that made me feel sort of compelled to continue, so thanks again!**

 **MORE MORE MORE: Haha thanks! It's nice to know that people actually appreciate my story (hehe even though it's horrible). Dunno what else to write, but the support means a lot. :)**

 **Guest: Straight to the point, so here** — **Thank you.**

* * *

The boy, Percy, was _definitely_ hot.

Theo was saying that from a general point of view, of course, there was _no freaking way_ he'd _ever_ fall for this stupid guy.

Or maybe he was slightly biased.

Whatever the case, Percy was even better looking up close. His arms were tanned and well muscled, but he was lean, like a swimmer. His raven black hair looked soft and windblown, and though there was a thin layer of sweat over his skin, he still smelled like seasalt and mint.

But the boy's most striking feature was his eyes — his sea-green eyes were deep and playful, but they held a certain shattered depth to them, a depth that told a story.

He looked like a player, but Theo knew Annabeth was smarter than that. And the knowledge that this guy was probably a good person made Theo's dislike mount.

"So," Percy said conversationally. "Still taking it in?"

Theo gave a start, still engrossed in wallowing in self-pity. "Uh — I — what?"

Percy smiled. "I mean, how are you reacting to —" he waved his hand around aimlessly, "this?"

The fact that he was a genuinely nice person grated on Theo, and his dislike for this _Percy_ curdled into hate. "Fine, I guess," he muttered. Theo clutched the bow and arrows more tightly, not wanting to talk to Annabeth's _boyfriend._

Percy was humming, oblivious to the fact that Theo was glowering darkly at him. "Anyway, it's Theo, right?"

Theo scowled. He didn't want Percy acting like his friend. "Theodore."

"Theodore. Okay. Well, tell me a little about yourself. School, life, hobbies, you know, the normal stuff."

Theo didn't reply.

"Um… are you always this un-talkative or is it just me, I mean —" Percy faltered, presumably upon noticing the irritation clouding his eyes.

 _It's just you_ , Theo thought venomously.

"Hey, you alright? Why are you looking at me like that? Oh, shoot, did I forget my deodorant again?" Percy lifted his arm and sniffed, much to Theo's disgust, and moaned lightly. "Gods, I really hope Annabeth didn't notice —"

At the mention of Annabeth, Theo burst out, "Oh, I'm sure she didn't, she's much too _in love_ with you for _that_ , isn't she?!"

Percy, surprised at Theo's outburst, frowned in confusion. "Dude, what's up with you? I'm trying to be nice."

"Well, it isn't working," Theo growled, and whipped up in his frenzy of jealousy, he didn't stop to think that _maybe angering Annabeth's boyfriend isn't the smartest option…_

Especially because Percy was also ten times bigger and stronger than him and could easily beat him up.

"What is your problem?" Percy grumbled.

"You'd better not hurt Annabeth," Theo warned, feeling inexplicably silly. Percy's eyes widened, flashing in betrayal.

To Theo's extreme apprehension, the other boy's eyes began to fog over, revealing that shattered undertone beneath the brilliant green of his irises. It was like a hurricane, brewing under the surface, clouds of confusion and incredulity and anger roiling at the accusation.

To say the least, Theo was terrified.

"I," Percy began, his tone dangerously calm in contrast to the storm in his eyes, "would _never_ hurt Annabeth. And don't you _dare_ accuse me for it." He was shaking, trembling in fury, trying to rein in his rage, trying not to let the darkness consume him.

Theo took a frightened step back. "I —"

"The Big House is there," Percy said in a monotone, pointing at a building. "See you at the campfire."

"Y-yeah," Theo muttered, but the other had already left.

He walked, alone, to the Big House. _What a stupid name_ , he couldn't help but think. _Big House, ha! Like I couldn't tell_. Theo scoffed.

He felt incomprehensibly foolish, strolling across the camp grounds with no one accompanying him. Everyone here was with a friend, he noticed, glaring at the couple that was making out (though, if he were to be honest, he was mostly jealous he didn't have someone to love him like that).

As he walked, he made a list of Weird Things That Happened Today.

 _One, I found out that Greek Mythology isn't mythology,_ he began. _Then I found out I was part of the Greek Mythology that isn't mythology._ He still had trouble with that. _Then I found out that there was a camp for people who are part of the Greek Mythology that isn't mythology._

 _Then… Annabeth has a boyfriend_ , he thought, face souring. _And he's good-looking. And nice. And not that dumb. Gods… how will I ever compete?_

An annoying little voice in his head singsonged, _You can't._

He pushed it away, frowning profusely. A few people who passed him shot him strange looks, presumably at the face he was making — like he had just eaten a teaspoon of pure salt.

Theo was just about to push open the door of the Big House, but just as he lay his hand on the tall wooden planks, someone grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey Theo — oh, sorry, did I scare you?"

Annabeth.

Immediately he adjusted his expression appropriately. "Hi!"

He wished he hadn't said that. Gods, that sounded so juvenile —

"I'll come in with you, okay?" Annabeth asked. "You might need someone to make sure you're not hallucinating."

He didn't know what _that_ meant, but he knew he'd be more assured that if Annabeth was there.

As he studied her, Theo realized that her cheeks were flushed, eyes sparkling happily. "Wow," he said, aloud.

Annabeth tilted her head at him. "Wow what?"

"You look… really happy," he stuttered. That sounded stupid, but man, she was _really_ beautiful…

Annabeth, to his surprise, laughed. "Duh! Percy just asked me out to another date! What girl wouldn't be happy…"

She was acting weird. Theo didn't like it. Or was that just because it had something to do with Percy?

"Yes. Haha. Good," he replied weakly, a feeble smile wobbling around his lips.

She hummed as she pushed open the door, gesturing that he go first. As he walked in, he couldn't help but think, _Could you make her that happy?_

The annoying little voice replied, _I don't think so…_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading, as always. But I've got a message:**

 **If you want this story to continue, please leave a review.**

 **I'm not the type to discontinue stories, it sort of annoys me when people do that, because they give me something so great (haha but not me), and then they take it away - it's like giving people chocolate and then snatch it. It's sad.**

 **But the inspiration's dying. If you want this story to continue, please leave a review, telling me not to, otherwise I will take this story out completely. Or you could tell me _not_ to take it out even if I discontinue... but whatever. It's up to you guys. **

**Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**HEY! So... it's been a while, right? What, like... three years?**

 **Okay, seriously, sorry for the wait. I think I may have died. Or my creative mindset for this shriveled up like a dried pear (weird comparison I know).**

 **But thanks for still reading this... if anyone is still, you know, alive, but an even BIGGER thanks to all the people who reviewed, like**

 **Huricain: Yeah. It sucks because you feel all guilty but then there's really not much you can do about it. I'm trying.**

 **Twitter 25: Well, here you are! :)**

 **SenatorSteve: I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU for your devotion to reading this story, you've reviewed so many times and I can see that this story actually is... um... pretty okay! I love the idea, and I was contemplating about that same idea myself. Obviously in my head, where everything is jumbled, it wasn't as concise as when you typed it. THANKS and I'm _definitely_ going to use your idea. I just need to figure out how to execute it...**

* * *

When Theo stepped inside the Big House, the first thing he saw was the tall white palomino horse - and the man sitting on it.

No, he wasn't sitting on it — he was _in_ it — no — he _was_ it.

A… horseman? The concept didn't seem so far-fetched, but Theo couldn't remember the exact term of it. Honestly though, a bull-man, a goat-man, and now a horse-man?

The horse-man turned around, and the human part of him was in a tweed jacket. He had a scruffy beard and deep coffee-colored eyes, a strange blend of warm and weary.

Theo focused on the man beside him. He was plump, with thinning black hair and a leopard print shirt. Theo's lips twisted — the shirt was a little tighter than he would have liked it to be.

When the man looked up, his eyes were startlingly violet and raged with a fire he couldn't quite place — then with unease, he realized that the man looked slightly unhinged, a bit… mad.

The horse-man nodded at Annabeth and gestured at the empty chair across from the scary man with the purple eyes. "Sit," he said.

Theo sat.

Still in shock, he blurted, "Are all of the magic things half farm animal or something?"

He could hear Annabeth stifling a laugh behind him and his face burned with humiliation. "I mean —"

"Young boy," the scary man began, the fire blazing bright in his eyes. "Do I _look_ half farm animal to you?"

Theo was about to reply with a ' _Well, you look half leopard, if that counts,'_ but in his peripheral vision he caught Annabeth shaking her head almost imperceptibly.

And so he settled with, "Um, no."

The horse-man's tail twitched nervously. "Anyhow. You are Theodore Hartwin, correct?"

"Yeah," he muttered, not wanting to meet the horse-man's kind eyes.

"Do you know of my kind?" the horse-man asked.

"I — um —"

"Oh look," the scary man sighed, sounding annoyed, "we've got another idiot."

Fury rose in his chest, but he suspected that things could get nasty if he retorted.

"Mr. D," the horse-man reprimanded. He turned to Theo. "I am a centaur," he supplied. "I'm sure you learned of Greek Mythology?"

"A little," Theo admitted. _Centaur._ That was the word. "But I've only heard of one. Chiron, the one who trains heroes, or something."

"Yes," the centaur agreed. "That is who I am."

Theo sat up straighter, as if given an electric shock. "Um — _the_ Chiron? But then — you're over three thousand years old!"

Mr. D. — the pudgy man — raised one eyebrow. "And that's old?"

"Yes!"

"How rude," Mr. D. sniffed. "A few of my fellow gods — namely, Aphrodite — would gladly blast you to bits for that."

An icy vise closed around Theo's heart. "F-f-fellow gods?" he stammered uncertainly.

Mr. D. regarded Theo coldly. "Yes, boy. I am a god."

 _What?_

He immediately knew which god. The leopard print, the purple eyes, the madness… Theo wasn't _that_ stupid.

"Oh," he said numbly. "Okay."

"I suppose I must say it." The newly identified Dionysus heaved a great sigh. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Thomas Hares. Don't die, though I honestly couldn't care less."

Chiron shot him a look.

"Oh, alright," Dionysus grumbled, taking a generous swig from his can of Diet Coke. " _Please_ don't die. Blah blah blah. Honestly, Chiron, the boy should know better! Even if he is an idiot."

Chiron rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Apologies, Theodore Hartwin. We don't mean to demean —"

"— Oh yes we do —"

"We _don't_. _Please_ , Mr. D, perhaps if I talked?"

Dionysus sat back in his chair moodily.

Theo pressed his lips together as behind him, Annabeth leaned forward curiously.

"So, Theodore," Chiron began, "you know the story of the Titans and Giants, correct?"

Theo felt as if he were in school. "Um — well —"

Both Dionysus and Annabeth exhaled audibly.

"Oh, for the gods' sakes, Chiron, here!" Dionysus slammed his can on the pinochle table and turned to Theo. "A few years ago, the Titans rose again, under the power of Kronos. The gods defeated them — again. This, like in the old times, eventually led to the rise of the Giants, led by Gaea. The gods defeated them again. The end."

"Um," Theo said.

"Confound it all," Dionysus muttered, slamming his head on the table.

"You might have missed a few key points, my friend," Chiron said blatantly. "First, Theodore, for both wars, the gods needed demigods. Without them, winning would have been impossible."

" _Bah_ ," Dionysus grumbled.

"It's true! You admitted it yourself, I'm afraid," Chiron went on, "but Theodore, demigods were the key to our success. Three-thousand years ago, too. The cycle goes on. And just last year, we found out about another camp. Camp Jupiter, one for Roman demigods. Which we won't go into right now."

"Okay…" Theo said slowly. "But — how do I fit into all of this?"

Chiron leaned forward. "Quests. Every new demigod who comes to Camp Half-Blood gets to experience a minor quest, going out into the real world with fresh eyes. After all, with the enemies defeated, it is no longer extremely dangerous to go beyond camp boundaries. Of course, we still send experienced campers to help out. So —"

"So," Dionysus interrupted, "what he means, Tommy Hilfiger, is that in a few weeks, you're going to check up on Camp Jupiter with two other demigods that have already been chosen."

In his head, Theo cycled between, _What do I have to check up on_ , _Who are the two other demigods,_ and, _My name isn't Tommy Hilfiger._

He decided on the first. "Uh… um, _sir_ , what do I have to check up on —"

" _Oh_ for the love of —" Dionysus began.

"Construction of the temples," Chiron intervened. "Others will fill you in later. Your main concern right now, Theodore, is getting claimed."

"Claimed," he repeated numbly.

Dionysus let out a dramatic sigh. "Yes! Claimed. Annie Bell should have explained."

"Yes, but —"

Again Chiron interjected, "Tonight at the campfire, most likely. Now if you'll excuse us, Mr. D and I may need to discuss —"

"Yes, do _leave_ , Tinker Bell."

Theo was already out of his seat, heart pounding and thoughts in a daze as he turned to leave —

 _I'm going to find out who my mother is._

* * *

 **Aaaaand as always, thanks for reading!**

 **(but a really big thanks this time because I haven't updated in a while)**


End file.
